I seriously love reading Karen's blog. She is in grad school for Audiology (yeah she's smart) and writes about running but also just about her life in general. Her posts are always entertaining & hilarious. Also, she and her boyfriend really like cheap dates (like reading on the floor of Barnes & Noble) and that (obviously) makes me happy :)

1. I LOVE learning tips & tricks that can help me to save more money. What is the best financial tip you’ve ever heard?

"Don't buy clothing you'll never wear, no matter how much it's on sale." I'm queen of buying clearance shirts from Target and then letting them hang in my closet for all eternity. Even if the shirt was only $3, that's $3 totally wasted!

2. What is your proudest financial moment?

My proudest financial moment so far has probably been financing most of my college and graduate school through scholarships and assistantships. I'm in my third year of graduate school now and working with an almost nonexistent grad student income, so I'm thankful for the hard work I put in early on.

3. Prioritizing your spending so that you spend money on things that truly make you happy is something that I think is SO important. What are some things that make you ridiculously happy and you feel zero guilt spending money on?

This is such a refreshing perspective! I like to run and race, so I don't feel guilty buying anything related to running (e.g. race fees, shoes, physical therapy appointments, etc). However, most of my running apparel is from Target or TJ Maxx. As long as it's quality gear, I don't need an expensive brand name.

4. On the flip side, what things do you try NOT to spend money on?

I try to save money on food and fancy dates. I rarely eat out, and when I go to the grocery store, I stick to the big three: cheap, healthy, easy. I mostly buy veggies, eggs, rice, peanut butter, oats, etc., and I try to avoid things like single-serve items and trendy nut butters. My boyfriend Ryan and I are also big fans of free/cheap dates--some of our favorites include going to the library, watching Netflix documentaries, going on walks, and working out together.

5. I’m big on setting financial goals. I think it’s hard to progress in our financial life if we aren’t really sure what we’re working towards. What are your current financial goals?

My current financial goal is to finish grad school debt-free, so I'm trying to be pretty frugal right now in order to make that happen. Once I graduate (in 2016!), I can reprioritize my goals and go from there!

Thank you so much for letting me interview you, Karen! Everyone should go check out her blog ASAP ;)

Do you fall victim to clearance purchases (like $3 shirts from Target?)

Ugh, I most definitely do :( I'm trying to get better about it and ignore things if they aren't on my shopping list... but it's HARD to not be tempted by those clearance stickers!!